This particular unit was driven by Vic Elford, who won the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Porsche 907, the marque’s first-ever 24-hour endurance race win.

1968 Porsche 908 Works. (Image: RM Sotheby's)

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In 1968, Porsche raced a 908 Short-Tail coupe at the 1000km Spa under the Porsche System Engineering team. Out of the two cars used for the race, the racecar with chassis 908-010 is up on auction by RM Sotheby’s, who will auction a 1968 Works Porsche 908 "Short-Tail" coupe at its Monterey sale, one of the only five remaining of the 31 originally built.

The Porsche 908 K, where K is "Kurzheck" meaning short-tail, was powered by a 3-litre flat-8 engine producing 350 horsepower. This particular unit was driven by Vic Elford, who won the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Porsche 907, the marque’s first-ever 24-hour endurance race win.

In the other car was Jochen Neerpasch, winner of Daytona in a 907 in 1968. Elford led the race during his opening 32-lap stint before Neerpasch retired from the race. Following this, the 908-010 was retired by the factory and sold into private Swiss ownership where it remained in storage for over two decades.

Porsche racing expert Dale Miller, then took it to the U.S in 90s where it was sold to Bill Ferren. He restored the car with the help of expert John Corsen, who prepared the car for the 2004 Rennsport Reunion at Daytona.

The car retains its repaired original chassis, as well as a recently serviced factory 908 engine. It is estimated to fetch $2.3 million to $2.8M for the August sale. In 2016, Gooding & Company also sold a 908 short tail with chassis number 908-011, for $3M.

1968 Porsche 908 Works cabin. (Image: RM Sotheby's)

Car specialist David Swig said: "Built to maximize the new 3-liter displacement limits put forth by the FIA at the time, the 908 took a big evolutionary step from the 904, 906, and 907 that came before it. Introduced in 1968 and raced up until the early 1980s, the model had a useful competition life of almost 15 years – an incredibly long time in endurance racing."

RM global head of auctions Gord Duff said: "The 908 prototype is a fantastic early highlight for our Monterey sale, made even more exciting by its offering during Porsche’s 70th anniversary year."